


Little Castoff

by RC_Steel



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bad Spelling & Grammar, Child Abandonment, Child Abuse, Daddy Steve, Diapers, F/F, F/M, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Porn, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Infantilism, Iron Man Doesn't exist, Little!Tony, Littles Are Known, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Papa Bucky(eventually), Rape/Non-con Elements, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Team as Family, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Trust Issues, not iron man 1 compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 16:53:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15800691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RC_Steel/pseuds/RC_Steel
Summary: Tony prayed that the doctor would come out of those doors and say that he was a neutral. That all of his symptoms were just oddities.Then Howard would let him go back to MIT.Then Howard would let him take over Stark Industries.Then Howard would let him continue to be his son.Because Stark men were made of iron. They certainly weren’t babies that needed to be coddled for their entire lives. No matter how intelligent and good at engineering Tony was, if he was classified as a little, he would no longer be considered a Stark.He would be just another castoff like everything else in Howard's life that didn’t meet his standards.





	1. Little Prayers

**Author's Note:**

> So I decided after all this time of just reading Non-Sexual age play works I needed to contribute something to the community myself. However, I am not the best writer and my grammar and spelling skills are nothing to write home about. 
> 
> I am going to try my best to write as much of this fic as I can but I can't promise it will be completed. I have a horrible track record with finishing stories. I start to doubt myself and than I just never go back to them. Despite all that I hope you enjoy reading this and please leave a comment or a kudos if you would like to see more! I love NSAP fics and I hope I will be able to do the genre justice. If you see a mistake of any kinda(grammar, spelling, plot hole) don't hesitate to tell me!
> 
> Story notes: In this world people are classified as either Caregivers, Neutrals, or Littles.

The small teenager looked to the ceiling and said a silent prayer. 

Tony had never been this nervous in his life. Here, sitting in this little office while his father paced back and forth in front him with a scowl on his face. He had turned sixteen today and, like all sixteen year olds, had just finished taking the exam that would inform him of his classification. 

He looked up once more and was about to call upon God again when he felt a sharp tug on his hair. With a whimper, Tony felt himself being pulled up a little from his seat. 

Howard only tightened his grip at the sound and growled, “Stop your Goddamn fidgeting, boy.”

Tony could feel specks of saliva hit his face and smelled his father’s morning whiskey on his breath. “You are going to be a neutral and you know it so stop this Goddamn nervousness.”

“Stark men are made of iron.” He gritted out with one last shake of his son’s head before finally letting go and resuming his pacing. 

Tony knew there was little to no chance of him testing as a neutral and he knew that his father knew it too. Tony had all the early onset signs of being a Little. He was short, clocking in at about 5’1, with very little chance of growing any taller. He had been wetting the bed, as well as having daytime accidents since he was out of his childhood diapers. 

Tony had lots of other signs too. His voice was higher than the average sixteen year old. He was quick to dissolve into tears. He bruised easily, had a hard time thoroughly chewing solid foods, and was always just a little too interested in the toys and other items marketed for children and Littles. 

Not to mention that Tony had felt himself slipping into headspace hundreds of times since he had entered his teens. At his current age it was easy to come out of and push away but Tony knew that the older he got the more he wouldn’t be able to control it anymore. 

Even knowing all this, Tony Stark still bent his head forward and prayed. 

Prayed that the doctor would come out of those doors and say that he was a neutral. That all of his symptoms were just oddities. 

Then Howard would let him go back to MIT. 

Then Howard would let him take over Stark Industries. 

Then Howard would let him continue to be his son. 

Because Stark men were made of iron. They certainly weren’t babies that needed to be coddled for their entire lives. No matter how intelligent and good at engineering Tony was, if he was classified as a Little, he would no longer be considered a Stark. 

He would be just another castoff like everything else in Howard's life that didn’t meet his standards. 

Tony jumped a Little when he heard a small knock on the door. Doctor Bennett peaked his head back in with a smile before fully entering the office and moving to sit in front of the computer. He had a blue folder in his hands and Tony had a pretty good idea what was in it. 

The Doctor smiled at the two Stark men with the kind of obliviousness that someone who is just trying to get through their workday would have. 

“Well Gentlemen, I have the results of the exam right here as well as some brochures to help young Tony fully understand his new classification.”

Tony felt the blood drain from his face and his heart stop beating. The doctor didn’t even need to say the result for Tony to know that he had tested as a Little. His tone and the need for brochures said it all. 

Howard also did not need actual confirmation as he let out a furious sigh and began rifling through his briefcase. He pulled out two sets of stapled together pages and slammed one on the table in front of the doctor. 

“This is an additional NDA you need to sign.” The businessman said through gritted teeth. Doctor Bennett looked a little startled but quickly signed his sloppy signature on the line that Howard was pointing at. 

Howard took back the papers and shoved them into his bag before throwing the second set to the doctor. 

“These are the forms saying my wife and I relinquish custody of the boy and disinherit him.” Doctor Bennett glanced down at the papers stunned.

“I will be filing additional ones at the courthouse as soon as I leave here. The boy is no longer allowed to go by the last name “Stark” and is to have no contact with me or any of my associates from this point on. I trust this hospital knows what to do in these cases.” With that Howard Stark turned around and left the office, slamming the door shut behind him. 

Tony watched the door for a few seconds. Trying to crush down the hope that his father would come back. That he would reconsider… 

But Howard was long gone and Tony quickly turned to look at his lap. He didn’t want to see the doctors face. To see the pitying look he was most likely sporting. He clenched his fists in an effort not to cry. 

Stark men didn’t cry.

Stark men were made of iron. 

Tony gasped with a sudden realization. He wasn’t a Stark anymore. 

The sixteen year old Little threw his head back, screwed his eyes shut, and wailed his pain for the whole world to hear.


	2. Big Happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support on the first chapter. I hope you like the second as well. The next chapter with feature the two of them meeting for the first time. 
> 
> Here is a question for you though. JARVIS is going to be a big part of this story but Tony never had a lab or access to the money to make something so large. Does anyone have a guess as to how he will be incorporated into this fic? There is a hint hidden in this chapter! Comment with your guesses!

-TWENTY-TWO YEARS LATER-

Steve sighed quietly as he walked through the halls of S.H.I.E.L.D’s New York City headquarters. If it wasn’t for the fact that Coulson and Fury had called him in for this meeting he wouldn’t have come anywhere near this place of his own volition. 

The building never failed to make him remember all of the confusion and despair he had felt upon waking up seventy years in the future. His sorrow when he realized he would never see Peggy or the Howlies again. His heartbreak when he learned more about this new time and he knew, he just knew, that Bucky would have loved it. 

For Steve, this building was only associated with the bad things in the future and none of the good that he had come to discover. 

No, all of the good he had found in the future was currently nestled in a large state of the art compound hidden in the woods upstate.

His new family.

His new home. 

Natasha, Cint, Thor, Bruce

They could never replace those that he had lost but Steve felt happier than he had ever imagined would be possible. He still felt depressed and incomplete but nowhere near what he had been feeling when he had lived in this building. 

This building was where he had stayed before all of the events of Loki’s attack had happened. The barracks here had been his first residence in the future but it had never felt like an actual home. 

It had just been a larger than life building full of gawking looks and sleepless nights. 

Steve was pulled from his maudlin thoughts when he reached the door to Fury’s office. He gave a short knock before pushing the door open and entering the room. 

Director Fury was sitting with his feet propped up on one corner of his desk and Agent Phil Coulson standing near the other. As Fury moved to straighten himself in his seat Steve looked over to Coulson and gave him a genuine smile. Coulson was a good man, despite being a little too enthusiastic at first, and Steve had gotten to know him a lot better since the invasion of New York City. 

The Agent was in a pretty serious relationship with Clint but he didn’t live at the compound full time like the rest of the team. Steve had discovered that Phil was a workaholic and slept more on his offce couch than on any real bed. However, any days he did have off he could easily be found sprawled out on the common room couch or cuddled up with Clint on one of the outdoor patio swings in the garden. 

“Good Morning Director Fury, Agent Coulson,” Steve said with a nod as he lowered himself into one of the uncomfortably small chairs placed in front of the director’s desk. 

“Cut the formality, Captain.” Fury barked in his usual gruff manner. “While this meeting is important it isn’t exactly about work.” 

Steve froze and narrowed his eyes at the two men suspiciously. “Then why did you call me here?” 

Phil cleared his throat and stepped around the desk to sit in the chair next to Steve. He looked Steve in the eyes solemnly before speaking in a quiet and calm tone. “Steve, those of us who have gotten to know you since your awakening are a little concerned about you mental state and your,” Here, Phil paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. “Lack of happiness.”

 

“I am happy!” Steve protested immediately. “Compared to when I first woke up I am absolutely buoyant!” 

“Well when you first woke up you were a panicked mess so that ain’t saying much.” Fury muttered darkly. Phil shot him a quick glare before turning back to Steve. 

“We aren’t saying that you aren’t happy, Steve.” Phil tried to sooth. “We, those of us at S.H.I.E.L.D who know you and the rest of the Avengers, just think you could be not only happier but also healthier if you considered our proposal.”

Steve took a deep breath in through his mouth and exhaled through his nose. It sounded like they wanted him to see one of those head shrinking, therapy people. Normally he went along with most of what his superiors ordered him to do but on this point he would have to refuse. He wasn’t going to go sit in some stranger’s office and talk about things that said stranger could never even hope to understand. When Steve needed to talk about his problems he did it with one of his friends. He would almost rather go back into the ice than let some paid “professional” pry into his business only to diagnose him with crazy and prescribe whatever new fangled thing they had invented to replace the shock therapy from his time. 

However, Steve was never one to be rude so he clenched his fists and stared back at Coulson. 

“What exactly did you have in mind?”  
Coulson gave him a small smile before digging into one of the folders on the desk and gingerly handed over a glossy brochure.

Steve tensed up as he took the folded paper but immediately relaxed again once he had read the heading.

“Adopting Your First Little!”

So this wasn’t about therapy then. However, this new development also presented its own set of problems. “I don’t think I understand.” Steve said as he gently ran his thumb over the cheek of the smiling Little that was depicted on the brochure.

“In your file it states that you were classified as a Caregiver.” Fury said like that explained everything. 

“I was,” Steve answered as he looked up from the brochure for the first time since being handed it. “But what does that have to do with my ‘mental state and lack of happiness’.” He quoted gently. 

“Littles need Caregivers to take care of their needs and keep them safe and happy.” Phil answered, “You wouldn’t know this, Steve, because the studies were performed after you went down but Caregivers also need Littles if they want to be completely healthy. It's part of your natural biology to need to take care of another human being. It’s what makes you a great hero.

“But it is also what is holding you back. Your mind can’t settle because your needs as a Caregiver aren’t being met. Natasha told me that you keep having nightmares and we can all tell that you are dealing with a least a mild form of depression. Not to mention that you are exhibiting reckless behavior beyond what is necessary for your missions.”

Phil reached out and gently grabbed Steve’s hand that wasn’t clutching the brochure. “We all understand that you are happier now and that you are becoming more accustomed to the future. We understand that you have found a place to call home and that you consider the Avengers to be your new family. But we all also understand that it isn’t enough for you, Steve. You need someone to dote on, someone to call your own.” 

“Your a Caregiver, Steve. You not only need a Little but I can tell by the way you are constantly taking care of the team that you want one too. We don’t want you to just be happier than when you first woke up, we want you to be actually happy.” 

Steve listened to Coulson’s speech with rapt attention. By the end of it he had to look down so the two other men wouldn’t see the tears in his eyes. It was one thing to assume that people cared about you but another to actually have it said so blatantly. Steve felt completely touched by the worry of his team as well as that of his two superiors.  
However, the matter of adopting his own little was something else entirely. 

When Steve was sixteen and had learned his classification he had felt crushed. He and Bucky had both been classified as Caregivers. But while Bucky would have made a great Daddy to some lucky Little, Steve would have only been a failure. 

What Little would have ever wanted a Caregiver that was shorter than them? That was weak and sickly. That probably needed to be taken care of more than the Little themself? 

None would have. 

Which is what devastated Steve so much at the time. He would have loved to be a Daddy to a Little but he knew that it would never be possible. 

Except…

Now Steve was big and healthy. He not only had the additional strength that all Caregivers were born with but the strength that the serum had given him as well. He couldn’t get sick and he didn’t even need more than four hours of a sleep a night. Perfect, for taking care of a fussy baby.

“I-I don’t,” Steve started before clearing his throat and continuing, “I don’t know if that is a good idea though. Wouldn’t it be putting an innocent Little in danger if they were the Little of a superhero?”

“What safer place for any Little or child than living with a bunch of damn heroes?” Fury asked angrily, “You obviously want this, Captain, and its whats best for you so don’t make some big deal outta it and just say yes. No one’s gonna deny Captain freakin America when he asks to adopt a little and you have enough military back pay to pay for the needs of a whole army of Littles.

“From where I am standing it looks like you have zero reasons not to do this.” Fury ended with his hands flat on the desk in front of him. 

Steve closed his eyes and thought. Fury and Coulson were both right about everything they said. He probably would be happier and healthier with his own Little. It was something he had always wanted and he couldn’t think of any reasons why he couldn’t have it. 

Another dream of the future coming true for him. 

“Okay,” Steve said with a watery smile, “But I don’t even know where to start. How do you go about adopting a little in this day and age?”

Fury graced the captain with a grin and Phil clapped him on the back gently before both men reached out to present him with folders at the same time. 

“I’ve made a list of nice, cute, and stress free Littles that are currently in the state system.” Fury said as he placed his folder on the desk in front of Steve. “I thought you might want to start with a Little like that since you have enough stress on you plate as it is.”

Phil made a scoffing noise and placed his folder on Steve’s lap. “I compiled a list of tough case Littles who are in state custody in New York. These Littles might not be “stress free” but they need someone strong, patient, and compassionate to love them.” 

Steve noticed that Phil was looking at him in that same slightly creepy fanboyish way that he had when they first met, “These particular Littles don’t just need a Caregiver, but a hero as well.”

Steve thanked the men and left the office with both folders full of profiles. He had a lot of reading to do and a lot of decisions to make. However, he couldn’t remember the last time he was this excited. It had always been his and Bucky’s dream to adopt a Little of their own. Bucky might not be here to share the dream with Steve but he knew that his best friend would have wanted this for him.

\--------------------  
After three days of looking through the files on all of the Littles, Steve returned to the dreaded headquarters and quickly made his way back to Fury’s office. 

After a quick knock and a gruff order to enter Steve crashed into the room with his heart beating a mile a minute. 

“I found them!” He all but shouted into the office as he clutched one of the profiles in his hand. 

“Calm the hell down and let me see who you picked then.” Fury said angrily but with a touch of fondness. 

Steve took a deep breath and gave the Director a sheepish smile before setting the pages down on the desk gently and smoothing out the wrinkles. The two men leaned in to stare at the page. 

Fury, to see who Steve had chosen. 

Steve, to get another glance at his future baby. Even though he hadn’t been able to put the profile down since discovering it.

The top left corner of the files held a picture of a small middle-aged little with huge red-rimmed brown eyes. He was staring angrily at the camera and clutching a worn out red and gold teddy bear to his chest. 

However, the angry Little’s picture wasn’t the most prominent thing on the page. No, that honour went to the large red words that had been stamped across the entire bottom of the paper. 

NOT RECOMMENDED


	3. Little Terror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble with the final part of this chapter so I am sorry if it didn't turn out like anyone was expecting. Also, I'd like to apologize for the problems I have with screwing up my tenses. I am a native English speaker and that is something I don't think I will ever be able to do correctly. 
> 
> Please take a moment to leave a kudos or a comment saying what you enjoyed or didn't enjoy. I am sorry but I won't respond to any comments because I hate the way it pads the comment count for a story. However, I would be happy to answer questions or just plain chat over at my tumblr. The link is at the bottom. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and enjoy the chapter!

Hayes Home for Littles wasn’t the worst state owned facility Tony had ever been placed in. Considering it was fairly clean and had a staff entirely comprised of Caregivers it was actually pretty good. 

Tony hated it there anyway. 

Sure, currently nothing bad had happened in this new place like in a lot of his past homes. He wasn’t worried about being hurt or being forced to do anything he didn’t want to. He had his own crib, they fed him everyday, and he was pretty sure the staff didn’t know who he was. 

All of those things were great. 

It was all of the talking that ruined the place for Tony. 

Tony was one of those rare Littles that always stayed in his headspace. However, unlike most Littles that behaved in this way, Tony was like this by choice. Always being little made him more vulnerable but it also made it so no one could take advantage of his brain ever again. 

Big Tony was a genius who was capable of building weapons of mass destruction like they were block towers. 

Little Tony could probably build a high quality weapon too, if he was given the tools and time to figure it out. But most adults didn’t realize that and the Little wasn’t going to go out of his way to clue them in.

So all of the staff at the Hayes Home just saw the quiet, angry baby that Tony had become. They all eventually grew used to his rough demeanor and many strange quirks. 

They underestimated him. 

That was where the talking came in. Because the staff had only ever seen Tony as a Little, they assumed he had very minimal understanding of what they were saying. So they talked about things in front of him that they never would have if they had known the truth about his level of comprehension. 

Things that still hurt Tony’s feelings even after all these years. 

\--------------------

Tony was in the sleeping room, sitting in the corner closest to his crib. On a normal day he would have been taken to the playroom with the other baby age Littles but today something was different.  
Two female staff members were moving about the room quietly. Tony hadn’t actually looked at them yet because he didn’t want to attract any attention to himself. He was content to sit in this corner for as long as they were content to let him. 

Tony reached down into his lap and pulled his teddy bear up to his face. He gave its nose a sloppy smooch before gracing it with one of his rare smiles. Tony loved stuffed animals as much as the next Little but this bear was extra special. 

The bear was almost completely red except for the gold fur on its paws, muzzle, and ears. It was soft, obviously well loved, and had a hidden zipper on the bottom that allowed for the stuffing to be changed. 

However, if someone was to pick up the bear and check its insides they would find a lot more than just stuffing. 

“Ja’vis,” Tony whispered cutely to his AI that resided within the stuffed animal. 

“Yes, young Sir?” Jarvis replied in a quiet voice that only his creator could hear. 

“I wove you,” Tony made sure to tell his creation this every morning so that Jarvis would always know that he was loved and appreciated. The Little clutched the bear tightly to his chest and began speaking again before the AI had a chance to reply. 

“Somethin's going on,” Tony said nervously, “B-but you don’t gotta worry ‘cuz I will pwotect you.”

“I know you will, Sir. However, I am sure we will be just fi-” Jarvis suddenly stopped speaking as one of the workers approached and crouched down in front of Tony.

“Well, Good morning there Buddy!” The woman said in an overly cheerful voice. Tony didn’t know this woman’s name yet. He was pretty sure she had only been working at the home for about a week and she had never directly interacted with him before. “How about we get you in the tub so you’re nice and squeaky clean for your big day?”

Yeah, she was definitely new here. 

“NO,” Tony screamed before throwing a vicious kick at the woman’s knee cap and watching with delight as she was caught of guard and fell onto her ass. 

“What the hell?” The woman asked in a startled voice as she scrambled to her feet. She recovered quickly and was about to start telling him off when the other Caregiver in the room decided to join them. 

This other worker, a middle-aged woman named Karen, chuckled as she walked over. “Sorry Mel, I should have warned you. Tony the terror here doesn’t take baths in the tub like the normal Littles.”

Tony flinched minutely at the way the Caregiver had said “normal Littles.” Her voice was full of humour but not fondness. 

“If he doesn’t go in the tub than how are we supposed to get him clean?” The Caregiver that Karen had called Mel asked. 

“Normally we just wipe him down with some damp cloths but even that can be a struggle.” Karen said exasperatedly. “But the client asked for him specifically so I don’t think it will matter much if we let him go without a bath. After all, Tony will be back here soon enough anyway.”

“What do you mean by that?” Mel asked as she glanced down at Tony again. The Little bared his teeth at her and smashed Jarvis against his chest even harder than before. 

“Well didn’t you wonder why such an old Little was still in a state home?” Karen asked with a bark of laughter. “Tony’s been in the system for over twenty years now and every Caregiver he goes to just brings him right back. The kid is volatile, self-obsessed, and he doesn’t play well with others. Not to mention he has so many little hang ups about the simplest things. Screams when he is around water, screams when people touch him, screams all through the night so nobody else can have any sleep or peace. All while never coming out of his Littlespace so no one can even ask him why he acts this way. 

“They say no Little is unlovable, but if you ever were looking for an example to prove that false you’d have to look no farther than Tony.” Karen finished with a frustrated huff. The months of trying to take care of him were starting to catch up to her and she was really looking forward to the period of time he would be off with this prospective Caregiver. Hell, maybe if they were lucky the guy would send Tony back to a completely different facility. 

Tony glared even harder at Karen but kept silent. It wasn’t that he thought she was wrong, it was just that he wished she wouldn’t say it in front of him. If he didn’t hear these things he could always try to pretend that these people thought differently. 

“But if all of that stuff is true than why did some guy put in a request to adopt him specifically?” Mel asked with confusion. Tony tensed when he heard this. For the first time during this conversation he realized that they were talking about him leaving. 

Tony may not like Hayes Home but at least he knew what it was like here. If he was being adopted again that meant he would be thrust into a completely new environment with hundreds of terrifying possibilities. 

Plus the women had said he was specifically requested by somebody. Tony had been requested before by people who had never met him in person. 

All of those times had turned out to be people who had figured out his identity. 

All of those times had turned out to be waking nightmares. 

Karen’s voice cut through Tony’s internal panic. “Believe me when I say that I have no idea. The file the state provides for prospective Caregivers even has him listed as being Not Recommended. It’s probably just some young guy who thinks he can prove how cool he is by adopting the worst possible Little.” 

“Kawen,” Tony suddenly spoke up. He wanted to beg her to let him stay at the facility. Tell her he would try to be better if they would only let him stay. But when she turned to look at him with raised eyebrows he couldn’t find the words and only let out a small sob before turning his head to the side with a pout.

It didn’t matter what he said. If the Caregiver had already been approved than Tony didn’t have a say in it. 

Karen sighed dramatically before putting on a false smile. “Aren’t you excited, Tony?” She asked as she went over to his crib and pulled out his diaper bag from where it was kept underneath. “This finally might be your chance at getting a Daddy! Wouldn’t you like that Pumpkin?” 

Tony’s only reply was to bury his tear stained face into Jarvis’s plush head. 

“You can go to the playroom, Mel.” Karen said over her shoulder, “Tony only owns that bear, an old sweatshirt, and like three onesies so there isn’t much to pack for him. I’ll get him ready and bring him up to the office before joining you with the others.” 

Mel didn’t hesitate to agree and walked out of the room without another glance at the crying Little. 

\-------------------

Once Karen had escorted Tony to the administrative office she left him there under the eye of the home’s director. The man was busy with some kind of paperwork though so Tony just sat himself at the small table on the floor and clutched Jarvis as he waited. 

After what felt like only minutes there was a solid knock on the door and the director called out for whoever it was to enter. 

Tony gave a small squeak of terror and buried his face in his stuffie’s fur before he was forced to look at whoever his new tormentor was. He tried to focus on keeping his breathing under control. It wouldn’t help him to look so weak at the very beginning. 

“Captain, It is such an honour to meet you in person.” Tony heard the director say as he got up from his chair to shake this new person’s hand. “I would like to personally thank you for everything you have done for this country.” 

“Thank you,” The “Captain” said in a deep but breathless voice, “However, today I’m just Steve whose here to pick up his new Little.” 

Tony thought the man’s voice sounded nice. It could easily become loud but right now it just sounded soft and excited. He could feel the man’s eyes on him and he wanted to glance up to see if they looked as kind as the man sounded. But before he had the chance the director began to speak again. 

“Yes, that’s something I want to talk to you about.” The director said hesitantly. “I understand that you looked through many files before you came to the decision to pick this particular Little. However, like I said when we spoke over the phone, I am not sure that he would be the best fit for you. Tony, here, is a very troublesome case and as much as I would like to see him leave, I can’t in good conscious just sit by while a Little like him is set to terrorize Captain America.”

Tony heard the director’s words and immediately threw his head up to gape at his new potential Caregiver. The man was no longer looking at him as he was now fixing the director with a steady glare. However, Tony could still see enough of him in profile to know that the director hadn’t been kidding about this man’s identity. Tony had seen enough of Howard’s old war pictures and the recent newscasts to know that this was the real deal. 

Right as the Captain was about to start yelling at the director, Tony raised one of his arms up and pointed at him in shock. 

“Cap!” The Little yelled loudly and didn’t even try to hide the surprise he was feeling at this Caregiver’s identity. It was written all over his tear stained face. 

At Tony’s shout both the Captain and the director turned to look at him. The latter just scowled at the interruption but the moment Steve Rogers eyes laid on the Littles face his previous anger melted away. 

He quickly moved to crouch in front of the Little and graced him with a huge toothy smile. 

“Yup that’s right, I’m Captain America but do you know who else I am?” Tony chewed on his thumb for a second before giving a quiet reply, “Stebe?”

The Captain looked shocked for a moment before his face softened even further. “That’s right my name is Steve.” He said with a nod.

He took a moment to glance angrily in the director’s direction before turning his full attention back on Tony, “But you are very special to me Tony so you get to call me something else. Today your going to be coming home with me and I am going to take such good care of you. 

The Captain’s face was so earnest as he said this that Tony could only stare at him, uncomprehending, before he finally found his voice. 

“Me?” Tony asked quietly while pointing a small finger at his own chest. Steve gave a watery laugh and wiped a bit of moisture from his eyes before answering. 

“Of course you, silly. I’ve always wanted my very own baby and from the first moment I saw your picture I knew you were perfect.” 

Both Tony and the director gaped at the Captain. The Little had never been called perfect in his entire life. Tony had heard many things about the great Steve Rogers but he had never heard that he was completely crazy. 

While Tony was just sitting there in shock the Captain got up from his crouch and moved back over to the desk. “Is there anything else I need to sign or can we be on our way?”

The director just stared at him for a moment before clearing his throat and letting the hero know that all of the paperwork was already in order. 

The Captain gave the other man one last curt nod before turning back to the Little with a smile. 

“Well Tony, are you ready to go home with Daddy?”

Tony was so surprised by the entire situation that he didn’t even protest as the Captain slung both him and his diaper bag into his arms and carried them out of the office.


	4. Big Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is chapter four. I am honestly kind of surprised at myself for making it this far. However, the updates might come slower after this. I have had A LOT of alone free time in the past few days and that is why I was able to update so fast. But my boyfriend will be returning to our apartment the day after tomorrow and then University starts back up in a week. I am going to try my best to at least put up one chapter a week but the time between updates could be longer or shorter. 
> 
> I hope you guys like this chapter. I had a lot of fun with some of the smaller details. If you have a favourite or least favourite part don't hesitate to tell me. Comments keep me motivated and motivated me spends more of my time writing! *Hint Hint*

The first thing Steve had noticed about Tony was his eyes. They were so big, and sad, and achingly familiar. He just wanted to wrap the Little up in his arms and never let him go. 

The rest of the profile only served to harden his resolve that this was the Little for him. The poor thing was ten years older than the second oldest profile Steve could find. He was listed as having debilitating nightmares, panic attacks, and horrible scarring all over his chest. 

Those were the kinds of things that someone who had survived an active war zone might have. Steve wasn’t even sure he wanted to know how a baby had come by them. 

Tony obviously needed someone who had experience with these types of issues. Someone who was willing to devote the rest of their lives to making sure he knew he was loved and safe. 

The file said that Tony had been adopted thirteen separate times since entering the system at the age of sixteen. Steve couldn’t even begin to imagine how heartbreaking that must have been for the poor little boy. 

Seeing those big red words at the bottom of the page had only spurred Steve on. All of these people had given up on Tony. They saw his problems and thought he was broken. They looked at the fact that he never left Littlespace and saw him as too much work. They didn’t understand him so they had just written him off. Steve refused to be like them. He was going to be there for this Little because for some reason no one else would. 

All of the problems listed didn’t just come from nowhere. Tony had so obviously been through some terrible things in his life. But these people, like the very director of the facility that Tony had been staying in, just assumed the Little was being problematic for the sake of it. 

Phil had said that some of these Littles needed a hero, that they needed him. 

He was positive he had found the one that needed him the most. 

\--------------------

Steve hummed a quiet tune as he hurriedly got Tony strapped into the car seat in the back of the S.H.I.E.L.D rented vehicle. Halfway out of the building Tony had started to wail and had tried everything he could to push himself out of Steve’s arms. 

Steve had gently shushed the panicked Little and tried to reassure him that everything would be alright. Tony had kept right on crying but Steve hadn’t been expecting anything less. 

He knew it would take time and effort for his baby to come to fully trust him. 

Tony was finally starting to calm down just as Steve snapped the last buckle into place. The adorable baby gave one last sniffle before starting to anxiously pet the top of his bear’s head as he looked anywhere but at Steve. 

He was so adorable in that moment that Steve had to actively resist taking a few pictures of him with his phone. 

“There Sweetheart, see?” Steve said gently, “Daddy just had to get you to the car so that we could head home. I can tell you don’t like being handled like that but I want you to know that I would never hurt you.”

Tony peaked up at him skeptically but Steve continued to give the baby his most earnest expression. 

“But, I can see that being picked up so suddenly scared you so I want to apologize. From now on Daddy will warn you before he goes to lift you, okay?” 

That statement got the baby’s full attention. Tony’s big eyes grew even bigger with surprise before he nervously brought his fingers up to his mouth to chew on.

“Wait a minute, Honey. Don’t suck on your fingers. They are full of icky germs,” Steve gently admonished as he moved to open the passenger side door. He quickly pulled out a plastic shopping bag and returned to Tony’s side. 

“Why don’t you try one of these instead?” Steve asked nervously as he placed all five of the items in Tony’s lap. He had found all of the pacifiers while out shopping for Little necessities with Bruce. Both grown men had thought they would be just adorable for the Little to have. 

Now Steve just hoped Tony actually liked them. 

Each pacifier represented a different member of the Avengers team. Tony stared at them for a long moment before glancing up at Steve suspiciously. 

Steve’s smile fell a little at the look on Tony’s face. He wasn’t sure he understood why the baby would be so tense over this. “It’s okay Tony, why don’t you pick whichever one is your favourite. You get to keep all of them but we need to open one up for the car ride home.” 

Tony glanced between the pacifiers and Steve several more times before reaching out his free hand and hovering it over the green pacifier that had the words “HULK SMASH” on it in crazy cartoon letters. 

The baby didn’t touch the pacifier. Instead, he slowly turned his head to look worriedly up at Steve. For a moment Steve was confused by the strange behavior. Baffled, he just stared at Tony until he suddenly realized what was going on. 

Tony, the clever baby, was testing him. He wanted to see if Steve would get mad that he hadn’t picked the Captain America paci. The Captain felt a burst of utter love and protectiveness for the Little in front of him. He had so obviously been hurt in his past and now he was even weary of gifts. Steve would have to do everything in his power to change that. 

“Oh, you want to use the Hulk one?” Steve asked with a big smile back on his face. “I think that’s a great choice! The Hulk saves lots of people and when he isn’t being a superhero he is really smart too!”

Steve hurriedly grabbed the rest of the pacifiers and placed them back in the front seat. 

“Is Hulk you favourite Avenger?” Steve asked as he worked to get the packaging open. Once he had, he threw the garbage into the front and turned his attention back to the Little. 

When Tony noticed that he was being observed again he slowly nodded his head to answer the question. Steve nodded back at him happily and continued to make conversation as he casually held out the paci for Tony to take. 

“My favourite Avenger is actually Black Widow.” Steve said while the baby cautiously grabbed the pacifier from his hand. “She was the first friend I made when I woke up and she reminds me a lot of one of my close friends from before.”

Tony nodded along to his words while still examining the pacifier. “Peggy,” he breathed out quietly and Steve felt his whole body freeze. How could Tony possibly know that name? Peggy Carter’s involvement with project rebirth wasn’t common knowledge. 

He stared dumbfounded at the way Tony was showing the pacifier to his bear before suddenly relaxing. Of course the Little had said ‘Paci’ not ‘Peggy’. Steve must have misheard him because he had been thinking about her. 

Now that he had gotten over that shock Steve couldn’t help but smile warmly down at the baby who had finally popped the paci into his mouth. Tony was by far the cutest Little he had ever seen. He was just so small and Steve really loved his eyes. They were the colour of honey and they seemed to take up an impossible amount of room on his face. They also looked extremely familiar but, for the the life of him, Steve couldn’t place where he had seen them before.

However, Tony’s pretty brown locks were a little on the greasy side and despite having baby fat in his cheeks like all Littles, the rest of his body looked borderline skeletal. The baby needed a bath, some good food, and all of the love an entire house full of superheros could provide him with.

But for now Steve just gave him one big smile and gently shut the car door. He walked around to the drivers side and slid into the vehicle before buckling himself in. 

Steve couldn’t resist looking in the rearview mirror for one last check on his baby before they hit the road. 

Tony was holding onto his teddy with a tight grip and sucking furiously on his new pacifier. His little face was staring out the window with what Steve could only guess were nervous fear filled eyes. 

As he pulled the car out onto the road Steve made a vow to do everything in his power to make Tony’s life happy and fear free. 

\--------------------

The drive back to the compound took around two hours. Tony had been making a valiant effort to stay awake but the soft jazz music Steve played and the motion of the car had sent the Little into dreamland before they had even gone thirty miles. 

Steve discovered that Tony was just as cute when he was asleep as awake. The baby was still mouthing at the pacifier lazily but now his head was laid back against his seat’s headrest and his teddy had taken a tumble out of his lap onto the car floor. 

Tony looked so relaxed and content. Steve desperately wanted him to look that way in his waking hours as well. 

Eventually they reached the compound and Steve parked the vehicle as close to the front entrance as he could manage. He wanted to minimize the stressors Tony had to deal with today by taking the baby directly inside instead of having to walk through the compound’s underground garage. 

The car stopping seemed to jolt Tony out of his peaceful slumber. The Little looked around in confusion for a moment before patting his own lap gently. Steve saw the baby’s eyes widen and knew what was going to happen a second before the meltdown occurred. 

Tony spat the pacifier out of his mouth and began screaming at the top of his lungs and ripping at his car seat straps. 

Steve jumped out of the car and raced around it to fling Tony’s door open. The Little’s entire body was writhing in terror and rage. Steve knew if he didn’t do something soon his baby was going to injure himself. 

Talking would do them no good in this situation because Steve was pretty sure Tony wouldn’t even hear him over how loud his own screams were. Instead, Steve dove into the car to grab the red and yellow bear that he knew was the source of this problem. He quickly dusted it off and pressed it gently into Tony’s lap. 

The instant Tony felt the familiar weight he went completely still and his screams cut off to a quiet sniffle.The baby slowly opened his eyes and moved his head down to stare at his bear hopefully. He hesitantly reached out a tiny hand to grab its paw and the moment he grasped it the rest of the Littles body seemed to collapse in relief. Tony let out one more tiny sob and hugged the bear before turning his head to look at Steve. 

“S-sorry,” Tony whispered tearfully as he used his free hand to clumsily wipe at his face. 

Steve felt his heart melt at the adorable apologetic look on the Little’s tear covered face. Before he began to comfort the baby he made a mental note to be extra careful with that bear. To say Tony was extremely attached would obviously be putting it mildly. 

“It’s okay, Sweetheart,” Steve began as he pulled a clean handkerchief out of his pocket. “It must have been super scary to wake up in a new place and not be able to find your bear. Can Daddy wipe your face for you?”

Tony stared at him for a long moment, still breathing heavily before slowly nodding his head.

Steve gave him a big smile before reaching his hand up and gently cleaning off Tony’s wet cheeks. The Little watched him the entire time but he didn’t flinch away so Steve considered it a win. 

“What’s your bear’s name?” Steve asked once he had finished his task and was slipping the hanky back into his pocket. Tony glanced down at his bear and shifted it farther away from Steve before answering. 

“Ja’vis” The Little said quietly. 

“His name is Jawvis?” Steve asked patiently only for the baby to quickly shake his head. 

“No,” Tony replied, “Ja’vis wit an arrrr in da middle.” 

It took Steve a minute to interpret the babytalk, and to deal with his excitement over Tony speaking so much to him. “Oh, his name is Jarvis. Well it’s nice to meet you, Jarvis. 

“Tony, do you think you and Jarvis are ready to come inside?”

At that question Tony blanched and took a moment to stare behind Steve at the entrance to the compound. It almost physically hurt Steve to see the way the baby’s face paled and his hands started to shake. 

“There is no need to worry, Honey,” Steve said gently as he cautiously began to unbuckle the straps of the car seat. “All of the other Avengers are gone for the day to give us some space to get you settled. And Daddy promises, nothing is going to happen if you don’t want it to. Besides...

“You have Captain America here to protect you!” At that, Steve stood up to his full height with his hands on his hips in a mimic of one of the old USO show promotional posters. He had been trying to be funny but even he was surprised when he heard a small giggle from the Little sitting in the car. 

Tony gave Steve a tiny smile before quickly glancing back down at his bear. He seemed to be warring with himself over what to do at this point. Steve knew this would go more smoothly if he was patient and didn’t rush him. He busied himself with pulling Tony’s diaper bag and new pacifiers from the front seat. 

While Steve was grabbing the, now dirty, Hulk paci from the floor in the backseat he heard a small voice from above him. 

“Cap,” Tony said hesitantly before continuing on, “We go inside now?” 

The Little still looked terrified, Steve could even see beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but the baby was obviously trying to be brave. He slung the diaper bag over his shoulder and reached his hands out for the Little. 

However, he stopped about six inches away from touching him and made sure to meet Tony’s eyes before speaking. 

“Is it okay if Daddy carries you, Tony?”

Steve knew he had done the right thing when the majority of the fear suddenly left Tony’s face. The baby gave him a tiny smile and, still clutching Jarvis in one arm, lifted his arms and leaned closer to Steve to be picked up. 

Steve pulled his baby out of car and cuddled him close as he shut the car door and began walking towards the compound. Tony was stiff in his arms but at least he wasn’t crying this time. 

Tony was his Little now and Steve was going to do everything he could to be the Caregiver and hero that his precious baby so obviously needed.


	5. Little Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *PLEASE READ* This chapter is where the non-con tag comes in a little. Tony was molested by a previous Caregiver and now he becomes nervous when exposed in front of new people. There is nothing graphic here. Tony just sort of refers to his experience as "Bad touches". But please practice self care and control F for the word Bad if this is something that triggers you. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I love seeing what people like most about the story. I have also decided that I will be answering any questions from the comments on my tumblr so you can check that out to get sneak peaks about the story. 
> 
> If you have a favourite or least favourite part don't hesitate to tell me. Comments keep me motivated and motivated me spends more of my time writing! *Hint Hint*

Tony wasn’t yet sure what to make of the Captain but he allowed the man to carry him and Jarvis into the big building they had arrived at. 

Once they were through the door Tony glanced around nervously and was surprised to see that the part of the building they had entered was actually just a big house on the inside. After going through a short hallway they arrived at a huge entertainment room with lots of comfy looking couches and plush chairs all arranged around a projection screen. 

The room looked well lived in and Tony could see several books, articles of clothing, and empty snack bowls lying around, evidence of the other residents of this place. 

Steve must have thought that they had seen enough of the living room because he continued to give Tony a tour of the rest of the first floor common areas. They saw a massive kitchen that was done up in white and beige. It held a breakfast bar that could seat at least ten people comfortably and Tony couldn’t help but stare at the bright red high chair that was already placed among the seats. It sent a sort of thrill through him, knowing that they had already made a place for him here. 

The toaster looked like it could use a few upgrades though. 

Next they visited a small library, several bathrooms, and a formal dining room that Steve told him they had never once used. It was a pretty big place and the Captain mentioned that all of the Avenger’s related stuff, training areas, meeting rooms, labs, were on a different floor. He even promised that, in a few days, he would give Tony a tour of those areas as well. 

The Little couldn’t help but be excited over the possibility of seeing inside Dr. Banner’s lab. 

“Well, Tony,” The Captain asked as they returned to the giant living room. “What do you think of your new home so far?” 

Tony buried his face in Jarvis’s fur instead of answering. He actually thought the whole building was super cool but he knew he needed to be honest with himself. This wasn’t his home and he wasn’t going to pretend that it could be.

No, despite how Tony liked this new place he wasn’t going to call it home because he knew he would be leaving soon. The Captain had been nothing but kind and understanding so far but Tony had experience with these sort of things. 

Caregivers always started out nice and then they either got sick of him, or showed their true colours. 

“Hey Honey, what’s wrong?” Steve asked as he noticed the Little’s reluctance. Tony was about to respond, when the Captain suddenly shifted him in his arms and Tony felt one of his fingers sneak under his onesie and into his diaper.

Tony immediately panicked and tried to push himself out of the man’s arms. 

The Captain was so startled by Tony’s sudden movement that he probably would have dropped them if he didn’t also had super strength. 

Incidentally he did drop to his knees immediately and gently set Tony down before putting his hands in the air. 

“Woah Tony, It’s alright,” Steve said in a gentle voice. “I’m so sorry I scared you. Daddy was only checking to see if you needed a change after such a long car ride. I should have warned you though, and from now on this will be just like when Daddy lifts you. I will ask you before I check, okay?”

Tony was glad this man’s voice carried or he might not have heard him over his own heavy breathing. What he was saying made sense. All the Caregiver had done was check Tony’s diaper to see if it was wet. The same thing happened to Tony multiple times everyday. It was just the new place with a new Caregiver that had made him so jumpy. 

But, even though it was obviously an overreaction on Tony’s part, Steve was still the one apologizing. 

Captain America was on his knees apologizing. 

Tony wasn’t sure if it was that fact or the miniature panic attack that caused a few tears to slip from his eyes. The Little carefully wiped them away before deciding to throw the man a bone. 

“Cap,” The Caregiver’s guilty face perked up at hearing the nickname that Tony had given him. 

“Diapy change now?”

\--------------------

After that meltdown Steve had been quick to ask Tony before returning the little to his arms. Once they were on the move again the Captain walked them down another long hallway and into a large bedroom. 

“This is Daddy’s bedroom, Tony.” The Caregiver said as they walked into the room. “Your nursery is going to be across the hall but it hasn’t been completely finished yet. So I set up your crib and changing table in here for the next few days.”

The room was spacious, with a soft looking beige carpet and walls that were the colour of milk chocolate. The wall to the right of the entrance held two doors that Tony guessed must lead to a closet and a bathroom. 

Tony glanced around the room and hummed appreciatively when he saw a grey crib and changing table pushed against the wall next to a mahogany four poster bed. He liked the brown comfortable colours that Steve had used for this room but the grey of the baby furniture was much more his style. 

The only other furniture in the room was a series of studio desks all positioned near the windows. Each one held various art supplies and sketches that Tony couldn’t properly see from where they were standing. 

The Captain laid him down on the changing table carefully. Even though Tony had agreed to this he couldn’t help but keep his body stiff as a board. He wanted to bring Jarvis up to cover his face but then he wouldn’t be able to see if the Caregiver tried something.

Instead, Tony just clenched his fists and glared unwaveringly at the Captain. The man just smiled down at him sadly and went about his task. If he noticed the way Tony’s whole body was shaking, he didn’t mention it. 

The Caregiver made quick work of his onesie and was soon reaching for the tabs on the front of his diaper. However, as soon as the cold air hit Tony’s naked chest he gave a quiet sob and tears began to trail down his face. He wasn’t even completely certain why he was crying. 

It was partly because he was scared that the man was about to do something ‘bad’ to him. One of his previous Caregivers had frequently done ‘bad’ things to him when he was exposed. Tony didn’t want that to happen again and he was always terrified when anyone new changed his diaper. But he was normally only super scared during the first time. He could always tell during that first diaper change whether a person was interested in doing ‘bad’ things. 

However, if Tony was being honest with himself, he was almost certain that the Captain wasn’t the type of person who would want to touch him like that. He had just been too nice so far. Plus, he had already had several opportunities to give Tony ‘bad’ touches but nothing even close to that had happened. 

No, Tony was pretty sure he was crying because his chest had been exposed. He moved Jarvis over to block the giant mass of scar tissue that resided in the center of his chest but he knew it was too late. Even through his tears he could tell that the Captain had already seen it. 

“Sweetheart,” The man started to say but Tony cut him off with a loud sob. Now the Caregiver knew how broken Tony was. 

Now even Captain America knew he was weak. 

“What’s wrong, Tony?” Steve tried again in a gentle voice, “Are you upset about the change or is it because of your scars?”

Tony could only nod and let out a few more hiccoughed cries before Steve started to gently wipe his tears away with the same hanky from the car. 

It wasn’t until Tony’s sobs had quieted that the Captain tried to get his attention again. 

“Look Honey,” Tony watched as the Caregiver rolled up his left sleeve so that his large bicep was exposed. “Did you know that even the medicine they used to make me Captain America can’t erase scars? I got this one when I was fifteen years old because I tried to stop a young woman from being mugged but I ended up getting mugged instead.” 

Tony stared at the man’s sheepish smile for a moment before looking down at the part of his arm he was displaying. There, in a horizontal line on the side of Captain America’s left bicep was a long, thin scar. 

“See Tony? Anyone can have scars, even Captain America! It is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed over. Besides, I think your perfect just the way you are.”

Tony turned his head away to stare at the wall instead of at the Captain. He wiped some of the extra tears off of his face and hoped that the man hadn’t seen him blush over hearing such a cliche line. 

Tony tensed up when he felt the man resume the diaper change. As he turned to observe him again the caregiver removed the soiled diaper and began to clean him up with quick but thorough movements. While he worked he continued to talk and Tony took the time to study his face for any signs of wanting to do the ‘bad’ things. However, it didn’t take him long to relax when he realized that none of those things were on this Caregiver’s mind. 

“Now, after we finish up here you can choose one of the new outfits I got you,” The Captain said casually as he worked on his task. “Then we should probably eat some lunch. It’s been a long day for me and I know it has been a pretty stressful day for you as well.” 

The Captain looked away from putting the new diaper underneath Tony long enough to give him an understanding smile. “Then after lunch I was thinking we would just relax and watch a few movies until dinner. Does that sound like a plan to you, Sweetheart?”

Tony had been zoning out a little during the man’s listing of the day’s schedule, just letting himself be soothed by the Captain’s kind voice. So, instead of replying with an actual answer, what fell out of his mouth was something that would have been utter nonsense if he had been in any other company. 

“Sta spangle man wit a pan.” 

Both Caregiver and Little completely froze when they realized what Tony had said. While Tony looked up at the Captain nervously from his still vulnerable position on the changing table, Steve looked down at him in shock before bursting into peals of affectionate laughter. 

He sounded so happy that even Tony couldn’t help but smile and let out a few giggles of his own. 

“Despite what you say about the Hulk being you favourite Avenger, you're still a little Captain America fan aren’t you?” The Caregiver asked him while pointing a mock accusatory finger in Tony’s direction. 

Tony just shrugged his shoulders cutely at that and couldn’t help but be delighted when the Captain let out another genuine laugh. 

“You are just the cutest thing,” He chuckled fondly as he finished up the change and used some hand sanitizer. “Now can Daddy help you off that table?”

Tony absolutely loved the fact that the man was keeping his promise about asking him before picking him up. No one had ever done that before and, he wasn’t sure if that was the man’s plan but it was going a long way towards making him feel safe. 

The Captain set Tony down on the edge of the room’s big bed before walking over to his closet and pulling out a few items. It took him a moment to choose but he eventually returned to the bedside with the clothes clutched in his hands. The man laid them out next to Tony and stepped back so the Little could get a better view. 

“Now, I was going to let you pick what you wanted to wear for the rest of the day, but after what just happened I think only one outfit is appropriate.”

Tony glanced over at the clothes and couldn’t help but let out a startled laugh. He reached his hand out to touch the onesie and positioned Jarvis so that he could see the outfit as well. 

It was a light blue sleeper onesie with red around all of the openings. The material was pretty soft but the most interesting part of the outfit was the large white words that covered most of the torso. 

“Daddy’s Little Man With A Plan!” 

The Captain came forward with a big smile and lifted the onesie up only to turn it around so the Little could see the giant shield on its back. 

Tony couldn’t stop himself from letting out another shriek of laughter. He pulled Jarvis closer to him and brought his fist up to his mouth to smother his giggles. 

“I’m glad you like it,” Steve said as he smiled that one thousand watt smile and began to roll up the onesie. “Now arms up so we can get you dressed and ready for the rest of the day!” 

Tony carefully placed Jarvis behind him and allowed himself to be dressed by the Caregiver. Once the onesie had been gently snapped into place over the diaper, the Captain grabbed the pair of fluffy red socks that he had placed on the bed and slid them onto Tony’s feet. 

“There, now I’m hungry for some lunch,” Steve said as he reached his arms out to wait for Tony to lean into them. He didn’t speak again until Tony and Jarvis were securely held on his hip. “Do you or Jarvis have any special requests?”

Tony hid a smile in Jarvis’s fur. The Captain was obviously just being silly but it was still a funny thought to think of Jarvis eating. Artificial Intelligence systems, even one as advanced as Jarvis, didn’t need to eat human food. 

Then again, the Captain was from the forties so maybe he didn't know that. Maybe he really thought that Jarvis would need lunch too. Tony glanced up at him from beneath his lashes before deciding to educate his new Caregiver. 

“Ja’vis does na eat, Cap.” 

The man just laughed and pulled Tony closer to him. The Little stiffened at first but quickly willed himself to relax since the man hadn’t hurt him so far. Besides, he couldn’t remember the last time he had gotten cuddles and Steve was very warm. 

“Okay Tony,” The Captain responded as they continued to walk down the long hallway leading back towards the kitchen. “If Jarvis doesn’t eat than what would you like to have for lunch?”

“Buubewies?” The Little replied after a moment of thought. 

The Captain gave him a funny look, “You just want blueberries?”

Tony nodded slowly. He hoped he hadn’t said something wrong. He had actually been thinking that this day was going pretty well for him. Steve hadn’t hurt him yet or even yelled at him once. He couldn’t even think of the last time a Caregiver had gone this long without getting frustrated by his behavior. 

“Buubewies are da best.” 

“Oh, are blueberries your favourite food?” The Captain asked and Tony was shocked to see genuine interest on the man’s face. 

Tony just nodded in reply and the Captain gave him another gentle squeeze and an encouraging smile. “Well, I’m not sure that just blueberries would be a very filling lunch so how about I whip us up some blueberry pancakes instead?” 

At that suggestion Tony couldn’t help but gasp in excitement and let out a happy exclamation. 

“Pancakes!”

However, as soon as the Little realized what he had done he pressed his burning face into Jarvis’s back. Tony didn’t know what was wrong with him today. He usually didn’t let his guard down so much. 

Something about the actual Captain America being his new Caregiver and acting so incredibly nice was making Tony feel more relaxed and deeper in Littlespace than he had in years.


	6. Big Likes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First I am so sorry for how long this took me to write but I also have to say that this is probably going to be what the new update schedule is like. With school and looking for a job I just haven't found the time to sit down and write that much. The majority of this chapter was actually written while I was in one of my classes. I am going to keep updating though. It just won't be very frequently. I am hoping to do a chapter every two weeks but it could be more or less time than that. 
> 
> Anyways, here is chapter six! It is the longest chapter so far and I am sorry for any errors or if the text sounds funny. The ending scene was especially hard to write and I had to cut it short in order to change to Tony's POV for the next chapter. Steve just wasn't really feeling it. 
> 
> If you see any plot holes or huge grammar errors please don't hesitate to tell me and I will fix them. Also, Any actual questions you write in the comments I will be answering on my tumblr! 
> 
> If you have a favourite or least favourite part don't hesitate to tell me. Comments keep me motivated and motivated me spends more of my time writing! *Hint Hint*

Steve thought the first day with his new baby was going pretty well so far. Tony had had a few episodes but Steve had done his best to calm him and make sure he knew he was safe, loved, and understood. They had even shared a few laughs and Steve honestly couldn’t believe how cute his Little could be when the baby let his guard down. 

Tony had the sweetest laugh and the cutest smile. All paired with his big doe eyes, chubby cheeks, and the adorable personality that was starting to slowly peek through. Steve was starting to worry that he would never be able to deny Tony anything. 

Currently, Tony was sitting in his new high chair and allowing Steve to feed him little bites of the blueberry pancakes he had made. The bear, Jarvis, had been placed in the chair on the other side of the Little and Tony kept “discreetly” glancing over at it. 

It was so adorable, Steve thought he might never be able to get the silly grin off of his face.

“So I know blueberries are your favourite food, but what other kinds of foods do you like?”

Steve wanted to know more about his Little so he could continue to make him comfortable in his new home. Since Tony was currently so relaxed eating his pancakes, he thought this was the perfect time to get information out of him. 

The baby took another peek at his bear and finished chewing the bite in his mouth before answering. 

“I-I like pascetti and cheez buggas and coffee.” Tony put up a small finger as he listed each item. He looked a bit nervous but when Steve gave him a big encouraging smile he returned it with his own hesitant one. 

“Spaghetti and Cheese Burgers are really good but I’m not sure Littles are supposed to have coffee.” Before Tony’s face could fall with disappointment Steve leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially into his ear, “But I don’t see how it could hurt if you had it every once in a while.” 

The Little gaped at him for a moment before breaking out into a huge grin. It was the biggest smile Steve had seen on his face yet. It made his whole face light up and the Caregiver had to restrain himself from pulling Tony into his lap and just never letting him go.

“So those are your favourite foods but are there any foods you don’t like?” Steve asked before the baby had the chance to withdraw back into himself. Tony looked contemplative so Steve fed him another bite of the pancakes while he thought. 

“I don' tink so,” Tony said nervously after he had finished chewing. From the look on Tony’s face Steve could guess that he was worried he had said something wrong.

“That’s alright, Honey,” Steve reassured as he fed Tony another bite of the pancakes. “But I want you to tell Daddy if you discover a food that you thinks tastes yucky. I don’t want to feed you things you don’t like.”

The Little stared at Steve for a moment before nodding and peeking over at Jarvis again. 

“Well now I know some of your favourite foods but what other kinds of stuff do you like?” 

Tony stiffened and slowly turned back to look at Steve. The Caregiver could feel his heart breaking once again at seeing the suspicion and confusion on the Little’s face. Steve set the plastic fork back down on the plate and gave Tony his full attention. 

“See, I really like drawing, working out, and motorcycles. So I was just wondering what kind of stuff you like or enjoy doing?”

Tony’s eyes were still guarded and full of confusion as he spoke quietly. “Why?”

“I want to know what you are interested in so I can make you more comfortable here, Tony” Steve told him earnestly, “I still need to decorate your nursery and I want to get an idea of what you like so I can make it special, just for you.”

Tony’s eyes had widened in surprise and his little mouth was hanging open a bit. 

“I also want to get you some new toys and I wouldn’t want to buy you a present you didn’t like so I just need to-” 

“Cap!” Steve was startled out of his rambling by the baby’s sudden shout. He had been so wrapped up in trying to quell the Little’s fears that he had failed to notice the sad look of acceptance that had fallen over Tony’s face. 

“No need to finish da woom or buy Tony toys,” The baby’s face was clouded with sadness but he still reached out and patted Steve’s cheek gently with his small hand. The Caregiver could only sit there baffled by the Little’s declaration and air of acceptance and sympathy. “Tony will go soon.” 

Steve reared back as he suddenly realized what the Little was trying to insinuate. Tony didn’t want him to go to all of the trouble of personalizing a nursery or buying him toys because he was assuming that Steve would be sending him back to the state home. He thought that Steve was going to return him like all of the Little’s previous Caregivers. 

Tony even looked like he had accepted it. He looked like he felt bad for Steve.

“Sweetheart,” Steve began as he slowly reached out and grasped the Little’s hand. “The only way you are going back to Hayes Home is if you want to go back. I knew you had some quirks before I adopted you. Nothing you do is going to make me send you back. I want to help you and take care of you so if we have a few bumps in the road that’s okay. I can tell that you have a lot of monsters in your head that make you scared but I am sure that with time and lots of love the two of us can beat them.” 

“We’ll lose,” Tony said with a sad shake of his head.

“Then we will do that together, too.” Steve gave his baby’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Either way I am not sending you back to a state facility. You’re my Little now and I already care about you so much. Now I just want to get to know you better so that we can start making this place into a home where you will feel safe and comfortable.”

Tony sat there for a few minutes while keeping his eyes on Jarvis. He chewed his lip and seemed to be contemplating everything Steve had said. The Caregiver was certain that the Little still doubted him but Steve knew that trust like this would take time to form. 

He didn’t need Tony to completely believe him but he did hope that the Little would give him the chance to prove himself.

Finally, after about ten minutes of silence, Tony turned his eyes back up to meet Steve’s and gave the Caregivers hand a weak squeeze.

“Wobots,” The baby said in such a quiet voice that even Steve had trouble hearing him. “I like wobots, and caws and blocks.”

Steve gave his baby another big, genuine smile and added robots, cars, and toy blocks to his growing mental list of “Things that Tony likes.”

\--------------------

After the two of them had eaten their fill of pancakes they made their way to the living room. This time Tony walked on his own but he still hadn’t let go of Steve’s hand. 

Steve gently lifted Tony and his bear onto the huge recliner in front of the screen. He would have preferred to have Tony snuggled up next to him on a sofa, but he had a feeling the Little would be more comfortable in his own seat. 

Tony pulled his bear up to his chest and gave it a big squeeze. It broke Steve’s heart to see that the baby was still so nervous but he knew that the two of them were making real progress. 

“Tony,” Steve called to get the Little’s attention. “It’s been a busy day, so I was thinking we would just rest and watch a movie for the rest of the afternoon.”

Tony nodded slowly and moved to put his fingers into his mouth as he got more comfortable in his seat. 

“Wait, Sweetheart,” Steve said as walked over to where he had left Tony’s bag before the tour of the house. “Let Daddy get you one of your new pacifiers.”

Steve brought the bag over to the couch closest to Tony’s chair. When he was trying to get the Little out of the car he had shoved the pacifiers into the largest pocket in the bag without looking at the rest of its contents. 

Now that he had the time he opened up the diaper bag to see all of what Tony had brought with him.

The pile of unopened hero pacis were directly at the top. Steve pulled them out and placed the packages next to Tony so he could choose which one he wanted to use next. 

While the Little was occupied with that, Steve bagan to pull the other items out of the bag and laid them out on the couch. 

The first things the Caregiver found were a few diapers that the staff must have packed in case of emergency. Under those were two stained plain white onesies that matched the one that Tony had originally been wearing. 

Steve frowned as he set those aside. They were obviously old and he wondered if Tony would be alright with him throwing them away. He made a mental note to ask him about them later.

Steve went to reach into the bag for the next item but stopped in shock when he noticed that there was only one thing left to take out of the main pocket. He looked at the meager pile which contained everything his Little owned in the world and couldn’t help but feel stunned. Tony wasn’t exactly a young Little and it was strange that he had accumulated so few possessions in all this time.

Steve returned to his task and pulled an extremely worn sweatshirt out and held it up to get a better look at it. It was a maroon colour with the letters M I T printed in grey on the front. He was wondering where Tony could have gotten it when a loud whimper broke the silence of the room. 

Steve glanced over to see what was wrong only to find that Tony was staring at him in utter terror. The Little was clutching Jarvis and his new Captain America paci to his side protectively while his other arm was outstretched towards Steve. The baby’s small hand kept opening and closing rapidly as tears started to form in his eyes. 

Steve was about to ask his Little what was wrong when Tony finally seemed to work up the courage to speak. 

“M-mine,” The Little choked out, “M-My Woedey”

The Caregiver looked at the baby’s suddenly pointing finger in confusion for a moment before understanding washed through him.

Tony was scared that Steve was going to get rid of this shirt. 

Steve quickly placed the sweatshirt on Tony’s recliner and knelt in front of him to make himself seem smaller. 

“Oh Honey, no,” Steve said gently as he watched Tony grab the sweatshirt and clutch it tightly to his chest. “Daddy was just sorting your things to see what else we needed to get you. I would never take something of yours, especially not something that's obviously so important to you.”

Tony seemed to calm down with the combined comfort of the sweatshirt and Steve’s calm mutterings. The baby coughed a few times before placing the sweatshirt in the crook of his arm next to Jarvis and setting the Captain America paci on the chair closer to the Caregiver. 

Steve gave his Little a reassuring smile and started to work on getting the pacifier out of it’s package while he talked. 

“Is that sweatshirt like your blankie, Tony?” 

“My w-woedey,” The Little sniffled out while nodding. Steve wasn’t sure what that meant but he decided from this point on to treat the sweatshirt with the same care as Jarvis.

Once the pacifier was liberated from its packaging, Steve held it out for the baby to take. As soon as Tony had popped it into his mouth and had almost completely calmed down Steve returned to his feet and walked over to the IPad that controlled the projector. 

“Okay Sweetheart, now that you have your blankie and a paci, I thinks it’s time we started that movie. Do you have anything you would like to watch?”

Steve looked over his shoulder at the Little but Tony only shook his head nervously. 

“That’s okay, Honey,” The Caregiver said with a smile, “I’ve been brainstorming since our talk in the kitchen and I think I know a few movies that you will love.”

Steve couldn’t help but chuckle at the skeptical look on the Tony’s face. He gave his baby one more big smile before pulling up the chosen film and setting it to play.

While the intro started, Steve walked back over to the couch where he had placed Tony’s few belongings. He stuffed them all back into the diaper bag and hurried to his bedroom to set the bag next to Tony’s new crib. 

It only took Steve a minute to return to the living room but the site that met him made his heart melt. Tony was still sitting in the recliner with Jarvis and his “Woedey” wrapped up in his arms. Only now, instead of the baby sitting stiffly with his back flush to the chair, Tony was leaning forward with his eyes glued to the screen where the tiny robot named Wall-E was rolling around in the garbage. 

Steve sat down on the couch nearest to Tony’s chair and was a little surprised when the Little startled and turned to look at him. The shock only lasted for a moment though because Tony immediately gave him a radiant smile around his paci and gestured excitedly at the large screen. 

“Wobot!” The baby all but shouted in excitement, “Cap, It’s a Wobot!”

After making this declaration, Tony returned to staring at the screen intently but the smile didn’t leave his face. Steve couldn’t help but be grateful for the Little’s focus being pulled from him. As much as he loved having the baby’s attention, he didn’t want his Little to see the tears in his eyes.

Steve loved this little boy so much already. He just knew Bucky would have loved him too.

\--------------------

After another slightly tearful diaper change, Steve fed Tony an underwhelming dinner of canned spaghetti-o’s. The Caregiver would have preferred to prepare a healthier meal but that would have taken too much time. Steve needed to keep a constant eye on Tony. This was a whole new environment for the baby and Steve didn’t feel right about leaving him on his own just yet. Plus, the Little didn’t have any toys, aside from Jarvis, to entertain himself with and a bored Little was always trouble.

The other reason for the quick dinner was how obvious it was that Tony was exhausted. The Little had stayed awake for the whole movie but Steve was positive that that was only out of sheer stubbornness. 

Moving to a new home with a complete stranger would be hard for any Little. Tony having so many fears and unexplained traumas certainly didn’t make the experience any easier. His poor baby had had a scary and anxiety ridden day.

Steve knew what he was about to do would only make Tony’s day worse. 

He knew that this was necessary but gosh, did he ever feel like a monster. 

When Steve had first read Tony’s profile the Little’s fear of water immediately caught his eye. 

‘Tony exhibits an extreme fear of water. When presented with large quantities of it(I.E. Bathtubs, Pools, Lakes/Oceans) as well as if his face gets wet without warning, the Little has been known to experience symptoms reminiscent of PTSD or panic attacks. This fear of water is not attributed to any known incident and it is unknown whether the fear is truly something psychological or just a cry for attention.’

Steve had been stunned that an innocent Little had gone through something traumatic enough to leave him with such a debilitating fear. Wondering about what could have caused it only served to make him furious. 

As soon as Steve realized he would be adopting Tony, the Caregiver had started brainstorming ways to get the Little clean without traumatizing him further. Now that the time had come to put his ideas into practice Steve was feeling a bit panicked himself. 

Steve walked into his bedroom with the Little held in his arms. Instead of placing Tony on the changing table, like he was certain the baby was expecting, Steve hurriedly entered his master bathroom. 

Just as he had expected, Tony began struggling as soon he realized where they were. However, the Little’s borderline hyperventilating paused as Tony’s terrified eyes found the only bathtub in the room. 

Steve watched as fear was replaced by honest confusion. The Little stared at the tub for a moment more before looking up at him questioningly. 

“Your file said that you hate taking baths so I decided we would just use the tub as a place to put our laundry from now on. “ Steve said gently as a way to explain why the large bathtub was filled to the brim with dirty clothes. 

Steve had wanted to remove the bathtub entirely but he hadn’t been willing to wait for the construction to be finished to bring his baby home. Instead he had decided to stuff it full of the team’s dirty clothes so that it could no longer be used as something Tony was scared of. 

Tony looked between Steve and the bathtub several more times before settling his large, hopeful eyes back on the Caregiver.

“No tub?”

At the baby’s tearfilled whisper Steve squeezed Tony just a bit closer to his chest.

“No, Tony, you won’t be going in the bathtub but we do still need to get you clean.”

Tony’s body, which had been slowly relaxing, stiffened again. Steve rubbed his back as he walked them over to the folding chair that was sitting near the glass shower doors. Steve had placed the chair there for this exact purpose. 

Steve carefully placed Tony on the the chair and sat down on the floor in front of him. The Little was clutching his sweatshirt and bear tightly to his chest while he tried to breathe evenly. Steve didn’t want him to become any tenser so I began to explain his idea. 

“So after I read your file and found out you didn’t handle baths well, I called up the home you were living at. They told me they had been getting you clean by wiping you down and using dry shampoo. Is that right?”

Tony nodded and Steve gave him an encouraging smile. 

“But those methods don’t get you completely clean, Honey, and being clean is important. You could get sick if you are dirty and Daddy does not want you to be sick.”

The Littles breathing had quickened again and Steve could tell he needed to pick up the pace with his explanation. Tony needed reassurance or else he would probably dissolve into a full blown panic attack from just fear of the unknown.

“But I also understand what it is like to be scared so I have been brainstorming ways to get you clean that will be less frightening. So how about instead of a bath we try a shower?”

Tony’s fast breathing came to a complete stop as he stared at Steve like he was an idiot. 

“Cap, only ‘dults showa.” The Baby explained slowly while giving the Caregiver an adorably skeptical look. 

“I know, Honey,” Steve tried but he couldn’t force the smile off of his face. “But I thought up the perfect plan to use the shower to help you.” 

As Steve stood the baby tensed in fear again but he was quick to relax when Steve made no move to lift him. Instead the Caregiver entered the shower, fully clothed, and shut the glass door behind him


	7. Little Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this scene got way out of hand. It was never meant to be this long but it is a very delicate situation for Tony and I needed it to be properly explained. I'm not really happy with the way this turned out but if I keep dwelling on it we will never get to the more interesting parts. So here is 3000 words of a single shower scene. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I loved seeing what people like most about the story and people's speculations. I have also decided that I will be answering any questions about this AU from the comments on my tumblr so you can check that out to get sneak peaks about the story.
> 
> If you have a favourite or least favourite part don't hesitate to tell me. Comments keep me motivated and motivated me spends more of my time writing! *Hint Hint*

Confusion wasn't an emotion that Tony felt very often. Even as a Little he was usually the smartest person in the room. However, during his first day with the Captain, Tony had experienced enough confusion and uncertainty to last him a lifetime. 

The man was always so calm and understanding. Tony had broken down so many times today and yet Steve had never once even appeared to get frustrated. Usually at this point Tony would just be suspicious but there was something about this Caregiver that made him feel safe. 

But feeling safe was dangerous. 

Yeah, Steve was super nice and he had shown Tony a cool robot movie and fed him blueberry pancakes and held his hand, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t all some trick or that Steve wouldn’t get sick of him soon. 

Steve was being super awesome right now but Tony could only assume that the Caregiver would eventually tire of him. 

But he was the real Captain America. 

The Captain America that had fought in World War Two.

The Captain America that had saved New York from aliens. 

The Captain America that had promised Tony that they would stay together. He had even called the Little’s problems “monsters” like they were something he could fight off with his shield.

That thought made Tony want to smile. The Captain was a lot goofier in person than Howard or the media had ever mentioned. With his huge sappy smiles and the kicked puppy looks he kept throwing Tony’s way.

God, but Tony hoped it wasn’t all fake. It had been a long time since the Little had wanted to trust somebody that wasn’t Jarvis. After all this time, and everything that had happened, it was probably smartest to never trust another Caregiver again. 

But this Caregiver was Captain America.

Captain America, the Superhero.

Tony wanted, more than anything, to be able to trust him. Especially when it came to what they were currently trying to do. The Little was scared of a lot of different things but water was what he considered to be his biggest fear. 

Steve had just stepped into the extremely large shower, with all of his clothes still on, and was now smiling at Tony through the glass doors. The Little just stared back at him, completely baffled, while the Caregiver began to explain his plan. 

“Okay, Honey, here’s my idea,” Steve’s voice was a little muffled by the door but Tony could still hear a touch of nervousness in it. Strangely, that hesitance made the Little feel a bit calmer. It was nice to not be the only one scared by this experience. 

“Instead of using the shower how we normally would we are going to sit down on the floor and I’ll use the showerhead,” Steve reached up and pulled the showerhead, which was apparently detachable, down from its mount on the wall. 

“This way you won’t be constantly under the water. We will only use it to dampen your skin and rinse you off. Plus this shower head has different settings so I can make the stream really gentle and whatever temperature you want.”

Steve moved to give a demonstration and Tony flinched back when the water started flowing from the the nozzle in Steve’s hand. The Caregiver quickly turned a dial on the side of the showerhead and Tony was intrigued to see how gently the water appeared to be flowing. 

It looked nothing like the violent water from his nightmares. It was discoloured or coming out fast enough to bruise. The flow was gentle and clean with a wisp of steam starting to rise from it. The stream reminded Tony of the way water looked leaving a watering can. The Little felt hope swell in his chest. That didn’t look too bad. This might actually work.

His emotions must have shown on his face because when he moved his eyes back up to meet Cap’s, the man had a big relieved smile.

“So what do you think, Tony?” Steve asked as he shut off the water, laid the nozzle on the floor, and stepped out of the shower. “Is it okay if we try this?”

Tony was taken aback by the Captain asking for his permission once again. As Tony’s Caregiver, Steve could do whatever he wanted with him. He didn’t have to ask for Tony’s permission to pick him up or to check his diaper or to do anything to him. 

But he kept asking and Tony couldn’t help feeling happy because of it. 

He couldn’t help but feel a little safer everytime it happened. 

He couldn’t help wanting to trust.

“Y-yeah,” Tony said shakily. “We twy.”

Steve gave him another reassuring smile and knelt down so they were eye level, “If you get too scared and you want me to stop please make sure to tell me. This is about taking care of you, Tony. I want you to be clean and healthy but it is also important that you feel safe.”

Tony felt tears fill his eyes but he didn’t hesitate to nod at the Caregiver’s words. “Otay,” 

Steve gave him a huge smile and reached out to take Tony’s hand. The Little let himself be helped off of the chair but immediately pulled away when the Caregiver suggested placing Jarvis and Rhodey’s sweatshirt in the bedroom. 

“No,” Tony shouted as he ripped his hand away from Steve. He clutched his two most precious possessions to his chest and braced himself for a blow. 

When none came, Tony peeked back up at Steve and was surprised to see that the Captain was now standing a good six feet away from him with his hands held above his head. 

“Okay, Tony, that’s okay,” Steve said when he noticed the Little looking at him. “Jarvis and your blankie can stay in the room with us but they can’t come into the shower. It isn’t good for them to get all wet so why don’t we set them on the chair? Than you will be able to keep an eye on them.”

Tony turned to look at the chair he had just risen from. He had been able to see Steve when the man was standing in the shower. That meant that if Jarvis was in the chair he should have a good view of Tony and Tony of him. 

The Little gently placed Rhodey’s sweatshirt on the chair and sat Jarvis on top of it. He adjusted the bear so that Jarvis’s cameras would have the best angles to see inside the shower. Once he was satisfied he turned back to the Captain and gave him a short nod. 

“Okay, Honey, let’s get started.”

Steve undressed Tony with careful efficiency. The silly Captain America onesie joined the massive pile of laundry in the tub while the wet diaper was rolled up and tossed into a trash can. Tony tensed up and waited for Steve to undress as well, but was stunned when the Caregiver, once again, stepped into the shower fully clothed. 

“I am going to stay dressed and change into dry clothes after.” Steve said when he noticed the Little’s confusion. “I know this is something scary for you so I want you to feel as comfortable as possible.”

With that, Steve grabbed a plastic bin from a shelf in the shower and sat down cross-legged on the damp tiles. He patted the floor next to him and gave Tony an encouraging smile. 

Tony took a few deep breaths before entering the shower. He shut the glass door behind him but as soon as the space became enclosed the Little felt panic grip his heart. He turned his tear filled eyes on the Caregiver and asked in a shaky voice, “C-can we k-keep da daw o-open pease?”

“Of course, Honey, if that will make this easier than we can keep the door open.” The understanding on Steve’s face comforted Tony and made it easier for him to work up the courage to sit down on the floor after reopening the glass door. 

Tony expected Steve to pick up the showerhead and start the water as soon as he was seated but instead the Caregiver began to remove things from the plastic bin. He set several plastic bottles down on the tiles in front of them before tucking the bin to the side. 

“I wasn’t sure what kind of scents you liked so I bought a few different ones. Do you want to pick one for us to use today?”

Tony looked at the colorful bottles and picked up the nearest one. The label said it was a 3-in-1 bath product for babies, Littles, and people with sensitive skin. He popped open the top and and brought the bottle up to his nose. Just like was advertised, the goo inside smelled like apples. Tony set it down and picked up the next one. It was the same shampoo, conditioner, and body wash combo but this one smelled like lavender. Tony sneezed and set that bottle down quickly before grabbing the final one. The Little hummed happily when the scent of coconut hit his nose. He heard a chuckle from next to him and looked over to see Steve smiling. The man’s eyes look very warm and if Tony wasn’t so tense he would probably have smiled back. 

“So the Coconut Breeze one is your favourite?”

Tony nodded and passed the bottle over to the Caregiver. Steve put the other two options back in the bin and grabbed one more thing out of it before placing the container behind him. The Captain twirled the strange new object in his hands for a moment before speaking again. 

“Have you ever seen one of these before, Honey?” Tony shook his head uncertainty before Steve spoke again. “Well this is a Little’s shower hat. You wear it on your head, above your ears but below your hair, and it helps to keep the water off of your face. I thought you could wear this so I could wash your hair.” 

Tony stared at the object with real interest. It was a bright blue rubber circle with a big opening in the middle. If it was on someone’s head it would be sort of like a sun visor that’s bill went all the way around a person’s head. If water was poured on Tony’s hair while he wore the shower hat it would run down the sides of the hat and probably not even come close to his face. 

That didn’t sound bad at all. 

“Can I put it on you, Sweetheart?” 

Tony met the Caregiver’s eyes and nodded eagerly. Steve gave him a relieved smile and made quick work of putting the shower hat on Tony’s head. The Caregiver was very gentle and careful not to pull on the Little’s hair. 

Once the hat was in place Steve leaned back and gave a mock gasp, “Why, Tony, Look at you! Even in a silly rubber hat you still look so handsome!” 

Tony let out a giggle and felt his face heat up. The Captain was very silly but his goofiness didn’t prevent Tony from noticing the water starting to flow once again. Steve was keeping the spray away from him at the moment but Tony knew it was only a matter of time before he turned it on him. 

Why had he agreed to do this again?

Why couldn’t they just use the wipes and spray on shampoo? Water was bad. It meant pain and gasping and people yelling at him and not being able to breath and rough hands and-

Steve must have noticed his breathing speeding up again because he moved the water farther from Tony and began to speak in his soft reassuring voice. 

“It’s alright, Honey,” Tony wiped a few stray tears from his cheeks and tried to focus on the Caregiver through his panic. “I’m not going to start until you are ready. I was just trying to get the water warm for you.” 

Tony tried to match his rapid breathing to Steve’s calm breaths. The Little wanted to make himself calm. He wanted to have this way of bathing work. He wanted to make Captain America happy. He needed this to work. 

Once his breathing was under better control, the Little turned back to Steve. “I is wedey.” The Captain gave him a skeptical look but he placed the showerhead, face down so the water was going straight onto the tiles, directly in front of Tony. 

“Maybe it would be easier if you used the nozzle first. Then you can get used to it at your own speed.” Tony nodded and took another deep breath before reaching out and lifting the shower head off of the tiles. He used his other hand to feel the water and was pleased with how warm and gentle it was. Feeling bolstered, Tony held the nozzle over his foot and let out a giggle as the stream tickled him. 

Tony tested the water on his arm as well before deciding that he could do this. He handed the shower head carefully back to Steve before giving Jarvis a thumbs up. The AI was probably worried about him. He knew how scary water was for the Little. Jarvis hadn’t been there when everything had happened but he had experienced enough of Tony’s nightmares and attacks to understand. But the water from the shower head had felt nice and it was Captain America who was helping him get clean. 

Tony let himself relax more and gave the Caregiver a tiny smile. Steve returned it and began to slowly run the water over the Little’s body. 

“It feews wike a wataing can,” Tony said to break the nervous silence. 

“Well, you are very small, Sweetheart. So maybe this will make you grow bigger.” Steve said with a chuckle as he continued to dampen Tony’s skin. 

The Little huffed and folded his arms over his chest in mock anger. “Tony is na small.” 

“You’re right, Honey, you’re just perfect.” Tony blushed at that but it didn’t escape his notice that this wasn’t the first time the Caregiver had made such a declaration. 

The Captain set the nozzle facedown once again and picked up the soap that had been chosen. He poured a small amount into his hand before holding the bottle out to the Little. Tony stuck out one hand and watched as Steve poured a dollop of the goo into its center. 

“Daddy will soap up your back and legs, Tony, while you get your arms and chest.” Steve said as he began to rub his hands together to create lather. Tony copied him as his listened to the rest of the man’s directions. “You can also clean your privates today, Sweetheart, but you need to be thorough. If you start to get rashes or sores than I will have to take over next time.”

Tony blushed but nodded in relief before starting to wash himself. The Little started by scrubbing his arms while Steve did the same to his back. Very quickly, they had both finished their designated tasks and the Caregiver carefully rinsed off all of the suds and grime that had covered Tony’s skin. 

It had been so long since the Little had been able to relax around flowing water. But this shower was warm, and gentle, and nothing like the harsh freezing water from his memories. 

“Alright, Honey, It’s time to wash your hair.”

Tony’s body went completely rigid once again as he heard the terrified little whine that escaped his own mouth. 

“It will be alright, Tony.” Steve was quick to reassure. Tony stared into his earnest blue eyes and tried to believe him. “You have the shower hat on and I will make sure that none of the water gets on your face, Captain America’s honour.”

Tony giggled through his fear when the Captain made the boy scout’s salute. Steve was right. He did have the silly rubber hat on and the Caregiver had been super great about this shower so far. This part would probably be okay too. 

“Can you scooch a little closer to Daddy, Sweetheart?” Steve asked once Tony had calmed a bit. The Little moved closer to the man and was surprised when the Caregiver repositioned him so that Tony was leaning on his chest. 

“Okay, I’m going to need you to lean your head back so all of the water will flow back over your hair and away from your face.” Tony listened intently as Steve picked up the showerhead once again and aimed it carefully at his hair. He stiffened at the first feeling of the water touching his scalp but the gentle flow continued to feel nothing like the water from his memories. 

The Little let himself relax back into the Captain’s chest while the man began to massage the coconut soap into his dark brown curls. It felt so good and the soap smelled just like person Jarvis’s favourite tea biscuits. Tony’s eyes closed in relaxation but he couldn’t help the small sobs that began to emanate from his chest. He wasn’t scared right now or even upset. He just felt cared for and happy.

Tony couldn’t remember the last time he had felt like this. The emotions were too much for him to handle. Steve seemed to understand this as he began to hum gently while he finished rinsing the soap from the Little’s hair. 

Once all of the soap had been washed out Steve shut the water off and carefully pulled the shower hat from Tony’s head. The Little’s sobs paused for a moment as he felt the Captain’s arms wrap around him. The man pulled him close as he pressed a soft kiss against Tony’s forehead. He couldn’t prevent his sobs from starting again or the way he snuggled back into his Caregiver’s arms. 

It felt amazing to be held in such a tight, loving embrace, to have someone care enough to go to such lengths to make him comfortable. 

It felt like home.


	8. Little Stories/Big Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I'm not really sure what to say except: I'm Sorry. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to update. This chapter was really hard for me to write and I worked really hard on it. Even with that I still came away not liking the second half of it. I couldn't figure out how to fit in an important part but I finally decided I would just move that part to the beginning of Chapter 9 and post this. You all deserve to read this and it isn't fair for me to keep it back any longer just because I'm not happy with it. I really hope the wait between chapter 8 and chapter 9 will be shorter but I can't make any promises. Sometimes I just can't find the energy to write. However, reading the kind comments on all my stories really makes me feel better anytime I'm having a bad day. I will try to do better with updating but I can't make any promises. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who reads this and everyone who reviewed the last chapter. It made me so happy to see that so many people enjoy this story. I'm so sorry I have kept you waiting so long. Thank you again and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Tony lay in his new crib and stared at the ceiling. After the shower, and the impromptu cuddle session, Steve had made quick work of dressing him and getting him ready for bed. It was still a bit early but Tony didn’t really mind. Not only was he tired but the Little also wanted some alone time to speak to Jarvis.

Plus, the teddy bear sleeper the Caregiver had dressed him in was really soft and super cozy.

Steve had seemed reluctant to leave him alone, and Tony guessed that the bedtime routine would be different on a more normal night. The Captain had fussed over him for a good fifteen minutes. Asking if he wanted anything to drink and repeatedly re-adjusting Tony’s blankets. The Little had felt touched, once again, by his Caregiver’s concern. The man was so sincere and downright adorable with all his goofy mannerisms. 

What wasn’t adorable was the baby monitor that Steve had placed on the short table between the bed and his crib. Tony understood why he did it but with that monitor in the room he wouldn’t be able to speak freely to Jarvis. 

Tony counted to one thousand before slowly sitting up and crawling closer to the baby monitor. He picked up Jarvis and flipped him over to access the bear’s zipper. Once his hand was inside he gave the AI’s plastic coated components a loving stroke before pulling out his kit of micro screwdrivers. 

Once he had his tools, Tony carefully reached through the crib bars and snatched the baby monitor off the table. Taking the batteries out would be the easiest solution but it would also be the most suspicious. Instead, he used a tiny phillips head to pry up the entire back off of the device. 

Tony had to suppress a scoff when the wiring was exposed. He was a baby and he could still think of at least forty ways to make this monitor more efficient. Instead of upgrading the stupid device, Tony swiftly disconnected several wires and closed it back up. He placed the baby monitor back on the table and flopped back down on the mattress with a small satisfied smile. 

“Good evening, Young Sir,” Jarvis’s clear accented voice cut through the silence of the room. Tony rolled back over to stare at him before carefully placing his screwdrivers back in the bear and zipping him up. 

“Ja’vis,” Tony whispered as a new round of tears escaped his eyes. He had more to say but found he couldn’t get his words past the lump in his throat. Instead, he pulled the bear and Rhodey’s sweatshirt into his arms and held them tightly. 

“Young Sir, there is no reason to cry. From what I have observed so far the Captain appears to be a model Caregiver. He seems to have your best interests at heart. His patience and sincerity are also quite commendable.”

Tony just sniffed a few more times and wiped his eyes on the sweatshirt’s left sleeve.

“Of course, I will continue to collect data on our surroundings but my preliminary observations are very positive. Wouldn’t you agree, Young Sir?” 

Tony shifted so he could look into Jarvis’s cameras. The Little had been hopeful that his AI would share his enjoyment and enthusiasm for this new home. Jarvis was an excellent judge of character and had been able to warn Tony of potential danger many times when the Little had gotten too comfortable. 

“I wike Cap a whole lot.” Tony whispered as he brushed out a clump of Jarvis’s fur that was wet with tears. “But, I’m scawed. What if he is wying? What if he gets mad and makes us weave?” 

“If that happens then we will weather it as we have done in all of the previous instances. However, may I propose a counter question?” Tony was busy letting out quiet sobs so he just nodded for Jarvis to continue. “What if Captain Rogers has no ill intentions and will persist in his attempts to understand and respect your many unique needs? You should not let past experiences cause you to lose hope. This could finally be the place we can call our permanent home, Young Sir.”

Tony only cried louder at the AI’s words. He desperately wanted to trust his creation’s instincts. He needed to believe that what he said could be true.

“I know better than anyone, what injustices you have gone through in the years directly preceding and following my creation. If luck was not just a series of random coincidental incidences I would say that you had the worst luck of any human. However, this might be the time for your metaphorical luck to turn, Young Sir. This Caregiver is Captain America, the same Captain America you have been telling me stories about since you brought me online.”

Tony let out an embarrassed chuckle at that. He loved telling Jarvis bedtime stories since very few people had ever bothered to do that for him. The only person who had ever really told Tony stories was his Aunt Peggy. So of course the only stories he had to tell Jarvis were about the plucky, patriotic hero. The same hero who had tucked him into bed just moments ago. 

“And while I don’t suggest trusting someone based solely on their reputation, I believe the Captain has shown through his actions so far that he should, at least, be given the chance to prove whether his intentions are pure.”

“I’m going to twy to be good, Ja’vis,” Tony said, “Twy to be good so we can stay.”

“I don’t think you need to try too hard, Young Sir,” Jarvis replied gently, “Afterall, plenty of your Captain America tales feature your new Caregiver, himself, breaking rules and disobeying orders.”

Tony froze for a second before giggling as he thought of the truth behind his A.I.’s words. “Wike when Cap wescued the whole 107th!” 

“Exactly, now why don’t you lie down and you can tell me that story again. I’ve had a stressful day, myself, and you know how your stories help me to relax.”

Tony hummed in agreement before wiping his eyes again and getting more comfortable in his new crib. He pulled Jarvis closer and began to tell the story they had both heard hundreds of times. Afterall Jarvis was right, bedtime stories, especially true and relevant ones, were very relaxing. 

____________________

Steve made his way down the hall and wasn’t surprised to see the living room crowded with people. The rest of the Avengers had stayed away from the common area for the day but now that it was night time, and adorable Littles were tucked into their cribs, they had all made their way back. 

Steve moved into the middle of them and plopped down into the recliner that Tony had been sitting in earlier for their movie time. He leaned his head back and allowed himself a happy sigh.

“Well,” Clint said after nearly a minute of silence. “How did it go with our newest problem child?”

Steve let out a short laugh. He hadn’t actually given it much thought but Tony really would fit in here. Each of the Avengers had their own problems to deal with. Some of them were worse than others but adding one more person with a messed up past wouldn’t even rock the boat. This really was the perfect place for Tony. A place with loving people who would go out of their way to understand his issues and help him to overcome them. A perfect place for Tony, just like it was the perfect place for Steve. 

Clint speaking seemed to act as a catalyst for the others. The archer had barely finished talking before Bruce, Thor, and Phil all spoke at once.

“Is he doing alright, Steve?”

“How fares your child, Steven?” 

“Did everything go as planned, Captain?”

“I think our first day went really well.” Steve said once his family had quieted down. “Tony is very defensive but I think, with some time and a lot of love, he will be able to completely relax.” 

“Is he what you expected?” Natasha asked. 

“No, he is even better.” Steve said as a huge smile formed on his face. “When Tony smiles he is the most adorable baby I have ever seen. I let him watch Wall-E and he got so excited about the robots. Gosh, I can’t wait for all of you to meet him. Tony is just so darn cute. We will need to take it slow, though.” 

“How did the shower go?” Bruce asked, “I know that was the thing you were most nervous about.” 

“It actually went really well.” Steve fiddled with the baby monitor in his hands. “Tony started to hyperventilate a few times but I was able to calm him down. I want to get Tony a few bath toys that he could still use in the shower. Even though he didn’t have a full panic attack he was still tense almost the entire time. Maybe if he could play while I washed him he would start to enjoy the shower.”

“Did he say anything about why he doesn’t like water?” Phil asked as he glanced over at Natasha. 

“No, he wasn’t very talkative today.” Steve said softly. “We had a few really good moments. Tony told me some of the things he likes and he even joked around with me a little bit but we also had a few hiccups. Tony cried a lot today and half of the time I wasn’t even sure what it was about. It made me feel a little bit helpless. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve felt that way.” Steve said as he rubbed a hand over his face in tired frustration. He felt a large hand pat his shoulder comfortingly and looked up to give Thor a grateful smile.

“Tony also had a few other worrying reactions that I am just not sure about. He acts so suspicious of everything. It’s hard to tell what has a deeper meaning and what is just fear.” Steve continued. “The most talking he did today was to basically tell me not to get too attached to him because I’d be sending him back soon anyway.” 

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about that,” Clint said with a snort. “The kid doesn’t know how stubborn you are yet, Steve. Soon he’ll realise that you don’t give up so easily and he’ll be able to relax. Besides, once he is big we can talk to him about all this behavior and figure out how to make this easier on him, right?”

“No, not right.” Natasha said with a light smack to the back of Clint’s head. “We have been discussing this all week. Do you ever pay attention? Steve’s Little doesn’t come out of Littlespace. The records on him state that no one has seen him big in the past eighteen years.”

“Yeah, I know that, Tash.” Clint rubbed the back of his head with a pout. “But, that isn’t normal right? Most Littles come up every once in a while. My guess is that Tony does too and that he just pretends he’s still Little for some reason. Thirteen different adoptions? Kid’s got to have trust issues. It seems like he hasn’t stayed anywhere good long enough to get comfortable. Once his gets to know all of us, and sees how cool we all are, I’m sure the munchkin will decide he can trust us. Then we will meet his big side and Steve can get a better idea of how to take care of him.”

Steve felt his mouth drop as he, and the rest of the team, started at Clint in shock. 

“T-that was very insightful, Clint.” Bruce said while he pretended to clean his glasses.

“Hey!” Clint cried, “Why are you all acting so surprised. I’m smart! I can think deep thoughts when I want to!” 

They all chuckled before sitting in comfortable silence to think over what Clint had said. Eventually, Phil broke the silence.

“I know this was only your first day, Steve, but I think you should consider having Tony see a therapist.”

Steve couldn’t stop the way his face scrunched up in distaste at the idea. Back in his time respectable people didn’t just see therapists. They worked through their problems at home. He realized that therapy was commonplace here, but it was still something he was having trouble wrapping his head around. 

“Are there therapists who specialize in Littles?” Steve asked despite his reservations. Even if he didn’t believe in doing it, he wasn’t going to deny his baby anything that could potentially help him. 

“Well, there are,” Phil answered hesitantly. “But I don’t think they would be able to really help Tony. Therapists who specialize in Littles tend to deal with issues like Separation Anxiety, ADHD, and headspace problems. I think Tony might need someone with a bit of a broader reach. He seems to have so many problems and we don’t know the full extent of them yet. Little therapists just aren’t equipped to deal with some of the things that Tony has trouble with.”

Steve felt a few tears prick his eyes. He just kept imagining Tony’s huge smile while they watched the movie. How could anyone ever hurt such an adorable Little?

“So what do we do then?” Steve asked as he dabbed his eyes with a tissue Bruce had handed him. 

“I have been looking into it and I think the best possible solution would be to hire a counselor who specializes in dealing with veterans. They will not only be able to provide Tony with someone to talk to but they could also be a good resource for the rest of the team.” Phil explained. “We could also set them up with any office and apartment here so that they are always available if any of you should need the support.”

Steve shared a quick glance with Natasha. Shield had been trying to force them to accept a live-in therapist for months now. Of course, Phil and Nick would finally find the one way to propose it that he wouldn’t be able to say no to. 

“I want to meet all serious candidates first.” Steve said with a sigh.

“Of course, Captain.” Phil said with a slight upturn of his lips. 

“Ooooh, Phil’s smug look!” Clint said with a laugh, “So when do we get to meet the little squirt? And by that I also mean, how many days do we have to do training intensives just to give you some alone time with the kiddo?” 

“I’m not sure,” Steve said with a frown. “I’ve been thinking about it and I think it would go better if Tony got to meet a few of you one-on-one first. I don’t want him to be too overwhelmed.” 

“Who were you thinking he should meet first?” Natasha asked. 

Steve had been mulling over that very question all day. Natasha had been his first thought. Out of all of his family, she was the person he was the closest to. However, this wasn’t about him, it was about Tony. He needed to consider who the Little would be the most comfortable meeting first. 

“Well, Tony told me his favourite Avenger is the Hulk. So, maybe Bruce should be the first person he meets.”

“But if he likes the Hulk won’t he be disappointed by just meeting regular me?” Bruce asked with a nervous frown. 

“Tony seems like a smart Little,” Steve reassured. “I’m sure he will understand your situation and be just as excited to meet you. Either way he has been very quiet and, for the most part, well behaved. I’m guessing that anytime he meets a new person he is going to be more reserved than rambunctious. 

“Besides, Tony needs a calm presence to be his first introduction to the team. As much as I love all of you, Thor and Clint are a bit too boisterous and Natasha and Phil can be more intimidating than they intend.” 

The others all gave mock offended gasps while Bruce just chuckled nervously. “And you don’t think the Hulk is intimidating?” 

“Tony doesn’t seem to,” Steve said calmly, “Afterall, when I gave him all of the pacifiers we picked up the other day, he chose to use the hulk one first.” 

Bruce blushed at that and turned his head down to hide his pleased smile. 

“If you’re sure,” Bruce shuffled his feet and glanced back up at Steve, “Then I would be honored to be the first person to meet your new baby.” 

Steve smiled and placed a reassuring hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “Of course I’m sure! Tony will adore you and if you’re feeling nervous about it, why don’t you make breakfast for the three of us tomorrow? That way if things do go south you can still bribe Tony with your amazing cooking.” 

That finally got the tension to leave the scientist’s shoulders. Bruce smiled and promised to make a delicious breakfast before wishing the rest of the team a good night and exiting the room. 

“Well that’s just great,” Clint said with a glare. “Now I not only don’t get to meet the kid, but I also miss out on a Bruce made breakfast.” 

“Worry not, Brother Hawk,” Thor declared as he stood from his spot on the couch. “The grocery delivery brought us many new boxes of poptarts!” 

Clint sighed dramatically but gave Steve an amused smile before he and Thor left the room, still discussing poptarts. 

With three of their team gone, Steve turned to face the two remaining people in the room. Both Natasha and Phil had moved to sit closer to him. Their faces were focused and the Captain had to stop himself from letting out a frustrated sigh. As much as he loved the two of them, they could both be a little too serious at times. 

“Come on then,” Steve said as he got up from the recliner and started walking. “If you are going to force me to talk about this again you might as well help me get some work done.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have started a blog just for Marvel and NSAP stuff. There isn't much there yet but I hope to be active on it quite often. I like to reblog cute things and am planning to post NSAP prompts that I might eventually try to write if they get enough interest. 
> 
> Tumblr: https://marvelatthesebabies.tumblr.com/
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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